Published on 24 November 2016

Watercolor, acrylic, missing eyes, and raw talent. Meet Kamile Lukosiute, who goes by the alias, KLL, a young illustrator from Lithuania, with an eye so sickening, you wouldn’t believe she’s only 18 years old.

These street art, fashion illustration cross-bred hybrid works of art, are sure to make you wonder what’s going on in her head, and maybe even your own. Vibrant colors, seductive subjects, and a hell of a lot of attitude, KLL really brings a mood and message to her pieces.

We dug a little deeper into the rabbit hole and spoke with KLL about her take on art, what’s after high school, and the future of young artists today.

How long have you been illustrating, and what's the journey been like for you up to this point?

I have been illustrating for 4-5 years. It all started when I found my eldest sister’s drawings. I was really impressed by a drawing she did of Cleopatra, and had been trying to recreate it 20 or more times… Then I just started drawing portraits from my imagination.

You seem to be combining techniques and different mediums. Can you explain your process for creating your works of art, and what materials and programs you like to use?

The process of creating my works, is like the way I express my feelings, and everything that’s inside me. One time my mom came into my room when I was drawing, and she was totally shocked! I’m a really sensitive person about everything that happens around and beyond me, and I express that all on a piece of paper or canvas…There’s a lot of hitting with a paintbrush, and strong line drawings. If someone were to see me drawing during my process, they would probably think that I’m out of my mind, a pure psycho, and totally crazy.

Once, my art teacher told me that I should visit a psychologist and if I were to live somewhere like the UK, I would be kicked out of school, and all I would ever be is a street sweeper (believe me, YES, I would sweeeep like an artist). So many more instances like this had happened to me during my art classes, so many hurtful words I had heard from her. I still remember those cold, winter days going home from school after class and crying, asking myself “Why me?” Why did I have to suffer in this world? I used to lock myself in the bathroom, look in the mirror and tear up. I hated myself, I hated being trapped in this body named Kamile. It made me stronger, it made me who I am today.

I love drawing with watercolors a lot! I love bright colors, especially red. I think this color affects people a lot. Red is blood, red is danger, red is passion, it’s risky and provocative. I also paint with acrylic. I’d like to paint more, but now I have a lot of requests and people ordering my drawings, so usually I stick with watercolors. I cant wait to finish high school and have some more time for painting on canvas. Also, I make digital artworks using Photoshop.

In a lot of your pieces, there seems to be a creepy, semi morbid undertone and vibe to them. Can you elaborate on that? And why the "one eye"?

Well, for some of us it’s creepy, but for others it’s normal. I like affecting people and it is really easy to do so using art. Why the one eye? For the basic explanation: I hate drawing the left side of my portraits. But on a deeper level, in my opinion two hearts won’t make us better people, more loving, or more kind. Just like two eyes, WE ARE STILL BLIND….some OF US. Some of us are still blind to the world we don’t want to see. Blind to the people sitting on the streets and starving, blind to the kids in Africa, and so on and so forth. SO, maybe being absolutely and truly blind would make us rethink everything, and would allow us to FEEL the world.

In a sea of artists where it appears that many are doing the same thing, how do you find ways to stay original and true to your style?

WOWY. I’m extremely happy to hear that I seem original, because I have been searching for myself, and for my own art style for so long. I have always wanted to create something different AND original. I guess there’s no way to give up on my art style, because it is me, it doesn’t matter how many people had negative opinions about it. I can’t change, it’s impossible… probably because I’m still living in this period that some people just don’t understand. Some people look at my drawings like it’s just colored paper, but it’s more than just colored paper, it’s me, my feelings, my fucking life. I’m not saying that everyone looks at my art and sees nothing, but what would they actually see and feel, if they weren’t blinded by stereotypes.

Who in the fashion game are you loving right now?

ANNA DELLO RUSSO! You need a fashion showeeeeeeeeer!

What is your dream project?

My dream project. Ahhh, I have a lot of dreams. I would love to create a fashion collection with my live drawings on clothes, not a print made, but actually painted.

How do you get in the mood to create something new?

I’m always in the mood to create something new! I still believe that maybe in the future, I will create a new art style! We are the artists, designers, stylists. We all want to create something new. Once I realized it and thought while everyone is trying so hard to CREATE something new, maybe I should go the other way and destroy? Destroy, just like an artist.

What are your plans after high school?

After high school, I want to study fashion design. I’m kind of lost right now about where I should go and study, and if I should stay in Lithuania or not. The actual plan is to become as good of a designer as I can and work as hard as I can. Life is actually really short, so I at least want to be remembered. I want google to make this animation or something (I don’t know what it is called) on my 200th birthday, haha! Imagine KLL’s 200th birthday. JUST KIDDING! OMG (it’s 3am. Thaaaaats why I’m talking shit!)

What is something you are hopeful for, for the next generation of young artists such as yourself?

First of all, I am lucky to be a part of this “artists generation”. Secondly, I’m feeling hopeful about our strength. Guns, bombs and weapons are nothing compared to our power! Do I sound savage?